Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Court

The tribal ordinance establishing the current Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Court was enacted in January of 2008, and the court began taking cases that month. The ordinance provides the court with jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters arising within the tribe’s reservation as expressly provided in tribal ordinances.

The Court has adopted Rules of Pleading, Practice and Procedure; Rules of Evidence; Rules Governing the Conduct of Judges; Rules Governing the Conduct of the Tribal Court Clerk and Rules Governing the Admission of Attorneys to Practice Before the Court. Copies of the Court’s Rules can be obtained from the Tribal Court Clerk.

The court currently has several cases pending, all of them contract disputes. The Tribal Council has under consideration expanding the types of cases that the Court can hear.

The Chief Judge of the court is Judge Lester J. Marston.

The Court’s Associate Judge is Jay Shapiro.

The Tribal Court is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Court maintains a drop box for the filing of pleadings 24 hours a day, seven days a week.